11 MARCH EXTENDED FORECAST/ADD COMMENT

11 MARCH EXTENDED FORECAST - UPDATED TO ADD COMMENT ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK - PLEASE PASS ON...............

TODAY 11TH - A.M. FOG - MOSTLY TO PARTLY CLOUDY - AFTERNOON RAINSHOWERS/ISOLATED THUNDER - HIGH TEMP 54

FRI 12TH - RAIN - HIGH TEMP 45

SAT 13th - RAINSHOWERS/THUNDER - WINDY - HIGH TEMP 45

SUN 14TH - RAINSHOWERS - THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY - HIGH TEMP 48

MON 15TH - PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY - HIGHS IN THE LOW 50'S

TUES 16TH AND WED 17TH - RAINSHOWERS - HIGHS IN THE LOW 50'S

THURS 18TH - INCREASING CLOUDS - HIGH MID 50'S

FRI 19TH - RAIN - HIGH TEMP 47

WEATHER FOR KIDS: http://noaa.kids.us/

Severe Weather Awareness Week -- April 5-9, 2010

The Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division and the National Weather Service have declared the week of April 5th through April 9th, 2010 Severe Weather Awareness Week. Severe Weather Awareness Week is an annual event to remind Iowans that severe weather is part of living in our state and that understanding the risks and how to respond to them can save lives.

During Severe Weather Awareness Week, the National Weather Service will promote severe-weather safety by issuing informative Public Information Statements.

Several changes to National Weather Service products were made this spring. Here are links to the changes:

Under Construction

The highlight of the week will be the statewide tornado drill on Wednesday, April 7 2010.

Here are the tornado test details:

The FCC prohibits the use of live Emergency Alert System (EAS) warning codes for test messages. A waiver has been applied for by the Iowa Emergency Alert System (EAS). If the waiver arrives by March 31, 2010, then live tornado EAS codes wil be used during the test. If not, the tornado test EAS message sent through National Weather Service, NOAA All Hazards Radio transmitters will be sent using the Required Weekly Test (RWT) code. The RWT will be sent with the 1050 HZ tone alert on NOAA All Hazards Radio. Real test warnings will be sent through other dissemination systems such as the internet, weather wire services, the Iowa system and other non-EAS systems.

9:50 AM - Storm Prediction Center (SPC) coordinates with Iowa National Weather Service (NWS) offices about a test tornado watch for Iowa.

10:00 AM - SPC issues Test Tornado Watch for Iowa. Each Iowa WFO will issue test Watch Coordination Notification messages. Test watch will be toned and alerted on NOAA All Hazards Radio and sent through the Emergency Alert System (EAS).

10:10 AM - NWS Sioux Falls and Omaha issue test tornado warnings for their Iowa counties.

10:15 AM- NWS Des Moines and Quad Cities issue test tornado warnings for their Iowa counties.

10:20 AM - NWS La Crosses issues test tornado warning for their Iowa counties.

10:30-10:35 AM - All Iowa NWS offices issues a Severe Weather Statement to terminate the test warnings.

11:00 AM - Test tornado watch expires.

If severe weather threatens on April 7th, the test will be conducted on April 8th at the same time.

Severe Weather Awareness Week Daily Topics:
Monday - The focus on Monday will be flash flooding. Flash flooding is the number weather related killer in the United States. Never drive into a flooded area!

Tuesday - On Tuesday will will discuss warning reception. Over the years, the ways to get hazardous weather warnings has changed. Today, we will focus on how to get a warning. Do you know how you get a warning?

Wednesday - Today is tornado day. In 2008, 13 people died from this threat in Iowa. Do you know where the safest place is in your home or car?

Thursday - This is severe thunderstorm day. Hundreds of severe thunderstorms hit Iowa each year. Did you severe thunderstorms can be as dangerous as tornadoes?

Friday - Family Preparedness. Learn about family safety from natural and man made hazards.